HONOLULU (KHON2) — Forensic expert Stephen Kramer, who played a key role in identifying the true perpetrator of the Dana Ireland murder, said DNA evidence will always provide “the truth,” regardless of how much time has passed.
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Speaking at the University of Hawai‘i’s William S. Richardson School of Law on Tuesday, Kramer shared insights on the use of genetic genealogy in solving cold cases.
It was this method that led to the identification of Albert Lauro Jr.’s DNA at the scene of Ireland’s 1991 murder on the Big Island.
Lauro’s DNA was linked to the crime after a judge vacated the guilty convictions of Albert Ian and Shawn Schweitzer in January 2023.
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Following the overturning of the convictions, the Hawaii Innocence Project enlisted Kramer to help identify Ireland’s true attacker.
“I’ve worked on a lot of big cases, and obviously the Dana Ireland case is one of the most significant,” Kramer said. “What makes this case even more important is that there were people imprisoned for this homicide who didn’t leave DNA at the crime scene. To be able to find the person who did is an amazing feeling.”